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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fall — the season
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stem — to come from
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. key — in music
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. tube — a container
  22. track — a path
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stem — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com